R-U.S*.K. 12/1 8/31 



In the meantime, government scientists and fur farr.iers are dcr.ionstrat- 

 ing that fur animals can be raised in captivity and that the fur produced is 

 of better quality th^ the fur from animals captured in the wild. 



Of course, fur farmers, like other farmers, have been iiard hit by 

 the depression. But those still in the business are learning more and more 

 ho ^7 to "nandle the fur animals. 



Before the war there were not over a hundred silver fox polts offered 

 for sale in this country in a year's time. The enormous prices pold for 

 silver-fox skins led trappers to dig fox pups out of their dens and try to 

 reise them in captivity. Success in these efforts started a boom of fur 

 farming. There was at first a lot of "wild-cat" fur farming by lox 

 promoters, and there were disappointments due to mistakes in the nev/ business 

 of folks who didn't know foxes. 



For instance, at first, foxes were treated as scaven5;ers. They were 

 forced to eat refuse and to live in filth. Naturally, such conditions pro- 

 duced poor foxes with poor fur. 



Of course, fur animals are not domesticated stock in the ordinary 

 sense of the v/ord. They are still wild although raised in captivity. But 

 fur fanning is like any other livestock raising in that the fur farmer should 

 knov/ his stock and understand animal feeding, and breeding, and management. 



As with other kinds of livestock, sanitation is essential. T'cv animals 

 need clean food and clean surroimdings to prevent diseases and keep them in 

 good condition. They must be kept in good condition to produce good fur if 

 they are to pay for their keep, and give the farmer a fair profit. 



The United States Biological Survey maintains a Fur-Ani .ial Experiment 

 Station at Saratoga Springs, New York, and a Rabbit Experiment Station at 

 Fontana, California. Research and experimental work is conducted at both 

 places. The idea is to find out things of value about all kinds of fur 

 animals now being raised on fur farms in this country. At the 3>:periment 

 Stations investigations are made of the best management practices regard- 

 ing feeding, breedir^, and housing. 



Getting back to silver foxes, Mr. Ashbrook estimates that ninety-nine 

 per cent of all the silver-fox fur produced in this country is from animals 

 raised on fur farms. This means chat so far as silver fox fur is concerned, 

 fur farming is practically the whole thing. 



Silver fox farming is, however, the longest established of our fur- 

 farming businesses. The total of furs produced on fur farms is out a drop 

 in the bucket cong^ared to the total fur production from the wild. 



But following on the heels of the silver fox farmers, others liave 

 gone in for mink and rauskrat raising. Winks are not hard to raise in 

 captivity when fed and "riandlcd properly, but it is a problem to raise them 

 on big enough scale to make the business pay. With muskrats, ho'/ever, the 

 marsh itself produces the food, and the muskrat care for themselves. 

 This sj'stem of fur ranching, or trapping on privately controlled wild regions, 

 has proved profitable in several sections. 



